CBI Books Delhi Man For Emails Claiming PM Modi’s ‘Blessings’ To Build Indigenous Jet Engine

The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked a Delhi-based man for allegedly sending a series of emails to top Indian and foreign institutions, including the Prime Minister’s Office, ISRO, HAL, DRDO and even the Pentagon, claiming he had the “blessings” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help develop an indigenous military jet engine.

According to the FIR, the emails misused the prime minister’s name and that of senior PMO officials to lend credibility to the proposal. The case was registered more than a year after the emails were sent, following a complaint lodged by the PMO in March last year, News 18 reported.

Emails To PMO, ISRO, DRDO And HAL Trigger Probe

The accused has been identified as Nisheeth Kohli, a resident of Vasant Kunj in Delhi. The FIR states that the PMO received a copy of an email sent by Kohli to various government offices, prompting concerns over the misuse of official names and positions.

“Kohli, vide his e-mail, has claimed that he wanted to help the Government of India to explore the development of an indigenous military jet engine,” the FIR said. It added that he referred to P.K. Mishra of the PMO to “validate his credentials” and claimed he had the “blessings and best wishes” of Prime Minister Modi. “Prima facie, this appears to be a case of misuse of the name of the Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the name of the Hon’ble Prime Minister himself for professional purposes,” the agency noted.

CBI Finds Emails Also Sent To Pentagon Official

A preliminary enquiry by the CBI revealed that Kohli had sent similar emails to Premier Explosives Limited, the Director of the Aeronautical Development Establishment and the Chairman of ISRO, reiterating his claim that he was authorised to assist in the development of an indigenous military jet engine.

In another email to the Director of the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, the Chairman of HAL and the ISRO Chairman, Kohli introduced himself as a Textile Chemistry engineer from the Technological Institute of Textile and Sciences, Bhiwani, from the 2002 batch. He claimed that if given an opportunity, he could help ISRO, DRDO and the Government of India in developing a jet engine.

The enquiry further found that Kohli also wrote to Vice Admiral George M. Wikoff, a senior United States Navy officer posted at the Pentagon, sharing the same claims and details.

The CBI has now registered a case against Kohli under Section 62 read with Sections 319(2) and 318(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2010, which deals with cheating by personation using electronic means.